1. Field of the Invention
Gelatin is widely known in the food industry for use in making gelled desserts. Powdered gelatin dessert mixes are used for the preparation of dessert gels in both home and food service settings. Refrigerated or shelf-stable ready-to-eat gelatin desserts; are also available.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The basic ingredients of gelatin dessert mixes are gelatin (either Type A or Type B or a blend of both), sweetening agent, which can be a natural sugar, such as sucrose, fructose or dextrose, or an intensive sweetener, such as saccharin, aspartame or acesulfame-K, acid, flavors and colors. Most of these mixes also use buffer salts to help in controlling the pH of the gel, as well as modifying the setting and melting characteristics of the gel. These salts are typically citrates, tartrates and/or phosphates. Sometimes a small amount of sodium chloride is added for added flavor enhancement. Gelatin of various Bloom strengths may be used, typically from 175 to about 275 Bloom range, with the amount of gelatin ranging between 4 and 15% by weight in the case of sugar-sweetened mixes. The higher the Bloom strength, the less gelatin will be required to produce the desired product. As might be expected higher Bloom gelatins are more expensive than lower Bloom gelatins.
A manufacturer of gelatin dessert mixes or ready-to-eat gelatin gels would desire to use the minimum level of gelatin and a low Bloom strength in order to lower raw material costs. However, typically a manufacturer targets for the mix to attain a certain level of gel strength which then, for a given pH, fixes the "gelatin load weights" required. "Gelatin load weight" is a parameter which account for the increased gel strength obtained with a given weight of gelatin as the Bloom strength increases.
It is also known that the gel strength of gelatin rapidly decreases as the solution pH is reduced below about 4.0. Conversely the higher the pH of a solution, the less gelatin is needed to obtain a gelled product having a desired gel strength. Gelatin dessert mixes, for example Jell-O.RTM. Brand gelatin dessert mix, are typically fruit-flavored and thus have been formulated to produce a tart or sour taste by buffering the solution to a pH of around or below 4.0. It would therefore be desirable from an economic standpoint if the solution pH of the gelatin gel could be raised in order to reduce the required gelatin load weight. In commercial practice, however, this has not previously been feasible since the higher pH also decreases the sour taste and/or changes the taste profile of the gelled dessert. It would, therefore, be desirable if the pH could be raised without lowering the desired sour taste or changing the taste profile. A pH difference of less than about 0.2 will typically produce a noticeable taste difference to consumers.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide for the preparation of gelatin gels which have an elevated pH, and hence a reduced gelatin load weight, and which also have the desired sour taste.
It is an object of this invention by means of proper selection of acid and buffer ingredients to raise the pH of gelatin dessert mixes or gels without reducing the sour taste of the mix or imparting any off taste.
These and other objects will be evident from the description herein. All percentages and ratios are by weight unless otherwise noted.